Camera control apparatus and camera control method

ABSTRACT

A camera control apparatus includes: an input section to which a plurality of cameras controlled by the apparatus are connected, each of the cameras including a first preset information storage section capable of storing up to n preset information on the state of the camera setting; a second preset information storage section capable of storing (n+1)-th to m-th preset information (n&lt;m) in each camera; an operation input unit to which an operation of selecting a specific one of the cameras and an operation of instructing registration or read out of the preset information on the selected camera are inputted; and a control section registering the preset information in the information storage section when the operation of instructing registration of the preset information is inputted, whereas reading and incorporating the preset information into the state of the selected camera when the operation of instructing readout of the registered preset information is inputted.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a camera control apparatus and a cameracontrol method, and particularly to a camera control apparatus and acamera control method capable of storing preset information on a camera.

2. Description of the Related Art

There has been a camera known to be capable of registering a pluralityof patterns of camera state information as preset information formed ofa pan coordinate, a tilt coordinate, a zoom position, a white balancevalue, and other parameters of the camera. In a camera of this type, thepreset information is typically stored in a memory or any other suitablestorage in the camera. The stored preset information is read asnecessary, and the setting contained in the preset information isreflected in the camera.

However, since the capacity of the memory built in the camera islimited, the number of positions that can be registered as presetinformation is inevitably limited by the capacity of the memory. Thatis, when the number of pieces of preset information that can be set in acamera in use is, for example, sixteen, a seventeenth piece of presetinformation cannot be registered. On the other hand, since cameras havebeen used in a variety of applications, more users have been requestingincrease in the capacity of storing preset information. To increase thecapacity of storing preset information, an apparatus that controls theaction of a camera stores preset information on the camera under controlin some cases.

For example, JP-A-2004-201241 discloses a camera control apparatusincluding a camera capable of performing pivotal actions and anoperation unit that controls pan, tilt, and other actions of the camera.In the technology disclosed in JP-A-2004-201241, the operation unitstores the actions of the camera performed when the camera is operatedmanually through the operation unit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the method described in JP-A-2004-201241, the area in whichpreset information is stored (capacity) can be increased. However,according to the technology described in JP-A-2004-201241, all theactions of the camera performed when the camera is manually operated,that is, a plurality of pieces of preset information, are stored in amemory in the operation unit. Therefore, to incorporate the presetinformation in the state of the camera, the operation unit in which thepreset information has been registered needs to be used. That is, thecamera and the operation unit need to be used in a one-to-onerelationship.

Further, in the related art described in JP-A-2004-201241, when a camerahaving preset information already registered therein is used, the presetinformation registered in the camera is disadvantageously difficult touse effectively.

Thus, it is desirable to increase the capacity of storing presetinformation without compromising an advantageous effect provided by afunction in the related art that is the capability of registering presetinformation on the camera side.

A camera control apparatus according to an embodiment of the inventionincludes an input section to which a plurality of cameras the action ofeach of which is controlled by the apparatus are connected, each of thecameras including a first preset information storage section capable ofstoring up to n pieces of preset information on the state of the camerasetting. The camera control apparatus further includes a second presetinformation storage section capable of storing (n+1)-th presetinformation to m-th preset information (n<m) in each of the plurality ofcameras. The camera control apparatus further includes an operationinput unit to which an operation of selecting a specific one of theplurality of cameras is inputted and an operation of instructingregistration of the preset information on the selected camera or anoperation of instructing readout of the preset information on theselected camera is inputted. When the operation of instructingregistration of the preset information is inputted through the operationinput unit, the preset information is registered in the first or secondpreset information storage section. When the operation of instructingreadout of the registered preset information is inputted through theoperation input unit, the preset information is read from the first orsecond preset information storage section. The read preset informationis then incorporated into the state of the selected camera.

According to the above configuration, each of the cameras stores up ton-th preset information, and the camera control apparatus stores(n+1)-th preset information to m-th preset information.

According to the above embodiment of the invention, the capacity ofstoring preset information can be increased to the point where m piecesof preset information are stored at the maximum, and an advantageprovided by storing preset information in each of the cameras can alsobe provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary configuration of asystem according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a descriptive diagram showing an exemplary configuration of anoperation input unit according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an exemplary internal configuration ofa video signal processing apparatus according to an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 4 is a descriptive diagram showing an exemplary configuration of alogical number/input port number/camera-under-control numberrelationship table according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a descriptive diagram showing an exemplary configuration of apreset information table according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing exemplary processes of registering presetinformation according to an embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing exemplary processes of reading presetinformation according to an embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment of the invention will be described below with reference tothe accompanying drawings. The embodiment will be described in thefollowing order:

1. First embodiment

2. Variations

1. First Embodiment [Exemplary System Configuration]

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary configuration of a system according to thepresent embodiment. A camera control apparatus according to the presentembodiment of the invention is a video signal processing apparatus 100having a video switcher function and a camera controller function. Thevideo signal processing apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 is formed of amain unit 110 and an operation input unit 120. While the main unit 110and the operation input unit 120 are separate units in the presentembodiment, they may be integrated with each other.

The video signal processing apparatus 100 is a portable apparatus andused to, for example, relay events that take place in a large lecturehall, a large conference room, a live concert hall, and any othersimilar place and produce video content that introduces how the eventshave proceeded.

The main unit 110 shown in FIG. 1 is connected to four cameras C1 to C4and a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC) P1 as sourcesfrom which video images are inputted.

The cameras C1 to C4 are connected to SDI (Serial Digital Interface)input terminals (not shown) or any other suitable terminals of the mainunit 110, and video images captured by the cameras C1 to C4 are inputtedto the main unit 110 via the respective input terminals. The imagecapturing operation in the cameras C1 to C4 is synchronized with a syncsignal supplied from the main unit 110.

Each of the cameras C1 to C3 is provided with a serial interface basedon the VISCA® protocol or any other suitable protocol and connected tothe main unit 110 via a serial cable (not shown) for transferring acontrol signal. That is, the main unit 110 can control the cameras C1 toC3 by supplying control signals (camera control commands) thereto. AnACK message or any other similar response from each of the cameras C1 toC3 is also sent over the corresponding serial cable to the main unit110.

The cameras C1 to C3 further include preset information storage sectionsM1 to M3 (first preset information storage sections) capable ofregistering the orientation, zoom factor, exposure, and other parametersof the cameras as preset information. Each of the preset informationstorage sections M1 to M3 can store n pieces of preset information atthe maximum. The number n varies depending on the model of the cameras.For example, the number n of some existing cameras is 16 or 30. Writingand reading preset information to and from the preset informationstorage sections M1 to M3 are carried out based on control signalstransmitted from the main unit 110. In the following description, whenit is not necessary to distinguish the preset information storagesections M1 to M3 from one another, they are simply called presetinformation storage sections M.

The camera C4 is connected to the main unit 110 via a DVI (DigitalVisual Interface) cable or any other suitable cable, and video imagescaptured by the camera C4 are transferred to the main unit 110 through aDVI input terminal (not shown). The camera C4, which does not have anyterminal to which a control signal from the main unit 110 is inputted,is not controllable by the main unit 110.

The PC P1 is connected to another DVI input terminal, an RGB inputterminal, or any other suitable terminal (not shown) of the main unit110 and inputs still images, motion images, or any other images storedin an HDD (Hard Disk Drive, not shown) or any other storage to the mainunit 110.

The main unit 110, which has the video switcher function and the cameracontrol function as described above, switches the output video imagebetween a PGM output video image and a NEXT output video image in thevideo switcher function mode in which the main unit 110 functions as avideo switcher, whereas the main unit 110 controls any of the camerasunder control in the camera control mode in which the main unit 110functions as a camera controller.

In the present embodiment, the main unit 110 also includes a presetinformation storage section 71 (second preset information storagesection) capable of storing preset information on a camera. The presetinformation storage section 71 is provided in a memory or any othersuitable component in the main unit 110, and can store (n+1)-th presetinformation to m-th preset information. The number m can be set to anarbitrary value in consideration of the capacity and other features ofthe preset information storage section 71. In the present embodiment,the number m is set at 99. Preset information stored in the presetinformation storage section 71 can be saved (backed up) in a memory cardor any other external storage medium. Alternatively, the presetinformation can be backed up over a network in a device connectable tothe network. In this case, the communication protocol can be Ethernet®,IP, TCP, FTP, or other suitable protocols. The configuration of the mainunit 110 and the preset information stored in the preset informationstorage section 71 will be described later in detail.

The main unit 110 is connected to a destination to which video imagesare outputted from the main unit 110, for example, a display device 300formed of an FPD (Flat Panel Display) or any other suitable component, aprojector 400, and a recording device 500 formed of an HDD or any othersuitable component. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the projector 400 isconnected to a PGM output terminal 2 p-1 of the main unit 110, and PGMoutput video images are outputted to the projector 400. The displaydevice 300 is connected to an AUX output terminal 2 a of the main unit110, and video images arranged in a multi-view display format or otherimages are outputted to the display device 300. The recording device 500is connected to a PGM output terminal 2 p-2 of the main unit 110, andrecords a video signal outputted from the main unit 110 as recordedvideo images.

The operation input unit 120 connected to the main unit 110 transmits anoperation signal according to an operation performed by a user to acontrol section, which will be described later, in the main unit 110.For example, instructions to switch video images outputted from the mainunit 110 are issued from the operation input unit 120.

An exemplary configuration of the operation input unit 120 will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 2. The operation input unit 120 shownin FIG. 2 includes an operation button section 210 formed of a varietyof buttons, a dial section 220 formed of four dials, and a displaysection 230. The operation input unit 120 further includes a joy stick240 and a transition lever 250.

The operation button section 210 includes a camera mode switching button211 c and a switcher mode switching button 211 s as function selectors,and AUX output selection/camera selection buttons 212. The operationbutton section 210 further includes a preset button 213, preset numberspecifying buttons 214, a recall button 215, a clear button 216, PGMselection buttons 217 p, and NEXT selection buttons 217 n.

The camera mode switching button 211 c switches the mode setting in themain unit 110 from the video switcher function mode to the cameracontrol mode. The switcher mode switching button 211 s switches the modesetting from the camera control mode to the video switcher functionmode. The actual mode switching operation is carried out under thecontrol of the control section 60, which will be described later, wheneither of the switching buttons is pressed.

The AUX output selection/camera selection buttons 212 function as AUXoutput selection buttons in the video switcher function mode, whereasfunctioning as camera selection buttons in the camera control mode.Logical numbers 1 to 12 are assigned to the AUX output selection/cameraselection buttons 212. The buttons labeled with 1 to 12 are enabled whenthe video switcher function mode is chosen, whereas only the buttonslabeled with 1 to 7 are enabled when the camera control mode is chosen.

When the AUX output selection/camera selection buttons 212 function asthe AUX output selection buttons, and any of the selection buttons ispressed, a video signal inputted through the input port related inadvance to the logical number assigned to the pressed button isoutputted to the AUX output terminal 2 a. In the example shown in FIG.1, since the display device 300 is connected to the AUX output terminal2 a, video images inputted through the input port related to the logicalnumber described above are displayed on the screen of the display device300.

When the AUX output selection/camera selection buttons 212 function asthe camera selection buttons, video images inputted from the cameraunder control that is related in advance to the logical number selectedby a button pressing operation are outputted through the AUX outputterminal 2 a. The video images captured by the selected one of thecameras under control and outputted through the AUX output terminal 2 aare displayed on the screen of the display device 300. The AUX outputselection/camera selection buttons 212, when functioning as the cameraselection buttons, also function as buttons for selecting a camera toand from which preset information is written and read.

The preset button 213 registers, as preset information, the informationon the state of any of the cameras having been adjusted by using thedial section 220 and the joy stick 240, which will be described later.The preset number specifying buttons 214 specify preset numbers. Thepreset numbers are provided to manage a plurality of pieces of presetinformation, and the number of present numbers corresponds to the numberof pieces of preset information stored in the preset information storagesection 71. Since the preset information storage section 71 according tothe present embodiment can register m pieces of preset information, thepreset numbers range from 1 to m.

After the user has adjusted the state of any of the cameras to anarbitrary state, specifying a preset number by pressing any of thepreset number specifying buttons 214 and subsequently pressing thepreset button 213 cause the state of the camera to be related to thespecified preset number and stored. The operation of storing the presetinformation is carried out under the control of the control section,which will be described later. When the specified preset number is anyof the first half of the preset numbers, numbers ranging from 1 to n,the preset information is stored in the camera. When the specifiedpreset number is any of the second half of the preset numbers, numbersranging from n+1 to m, the preset information is stored in the main unit110 side.

The recall button 215 issues an instruction to read preset information.After a preset number is specified by pressing any of the preset numberspecifying buttons 214, pressing the recall button 215 causes the presetinformation related to the specified preset number to be read. Theoperation of reading preset information is also carried out under thecontrol of the control section, which will be described later. When thespecified preset number is any of the first half of the preset numbers,the preset information is read from the preset information storagesection M in the camera. When the specified preset number is any of thesecond half of the preset numbers, the preset information is read fromthe preset information storage section 71 in the main unit 110.

The clear button 216 deletes preset information having been set.Pressing the clear button 216 causes a default value set at the time offactory shipment to be read in the following preset information readingoperations instead of the preset information having been set. Presetinformation to be cleared is determined by pressing the correspondingone of the preset number specifying buttons 214. For example, when thepreset numbers 20 to 60 are selected, the preset information related tothe preset numbers 20 to 60 is deleted.

The PGM selection buttons 217 p and the NEXT selection buttons 217 n areprovided to perform the video switcher function. The PGM selectionbuttons 217 p determine which one of the video signals inputted from thecameras C1 to C4, the PC P1, and any other apparatus connected to themain unit 110 is selected as a programmed output (PGM output). The NEXTselection buttons 217 n determine which one of the video signalsinputted to the main unit 110 is selected as the standby video output(NEXT output, which is also referred to as a preview output).

The same logical numbers 1 to 12 as those assigned to the AUX outputselection/camera selection buttons 212 are also assigned to the PGMselection buttons 217 p and the NEXT selection buttons 217 n. Forexample, when any of the PGM selection buttons 217 p is pressed, thevideo signal inputted through the input port related in advance to thelogical number selected by the button pressing operation is selected asthe PGM output.

The dial section 220 is formed of four dials, a dial 220-1 to a dial220-4. When the camera control mode is chosen, the dial 220-1 functionsas a dial for adjusting the focus of any of the cameras under control.The dial 220-2 functions as a dial for adjusting the brightness. Thedial 220-3 functions as a dial for adjusting the zoom. The dial 220-4functions as a dial for adjusting the pan and tilt. When presetinformation is registered, adjusting the dials that form the dialsection 220 allows camera parameters that the user wants to register aspreset information to be produced.

When the video switcher function mode is chosen, the dials 220-1 to220-4 function as dials for adjusting the functions assigned tofunctions F1 to F4.

The display section 230 is formed of a VFD (Vacuum Fluorescent Display)or any other suitable component and displays the setting of an effectexerted on a video image when the video image is switched to another, asetting menu used to set any of the cameras under control, and otheritems.

The joy stick 240 is formed of a lever supported pivotally in X-axis,Y-axis, and Z-axis directions and a dial provided below the lever. Whenthe camera control mode is chosen, the amounts of pan, tilt, and zoomcontrol of any of the connected cameras can be specified by incliningthe lever of the joystick 240 or rotating the dial thereof. That is, thestate of the camera that the user wants to register as presetinformation can be produced by operating the joy stick 240.

When the video switcher function mode is chosen, the joy stick 240 isused as an operation member for determining the on-screen position of aPinP (Picture in Picture) inserted in a PGM output video image.

The transition lever 250 shiftable in the up/down direction is anoperation member for performing the video switcher function. Thetransition lever 250 continuously changes a video image to another inaccordance with the amount of shift in the up/down direction.

An exemplary internal configuration of the main unit 110 will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, the portionscorresponding to those in FIGS. 1 and 2 have the same referencecharacters. The main unit 110 includes an SDI interface (hereinafterreferred to as an I/F) 10-1 to an SDI I/F 10-4 and an optional card I/F15 as input sections. The SDI I/F 10-1 to SDI I/F 10-4 include fourrespective SDI input terminals 1 s-1 to 1 s-4, to each of which anHD-SDI or SD-SDI signal is inputted. According to the configurationshown in FIG. 1, the video signals outputted from the cameras C1 to C4are inputted to the SDI I/F 10-1 to SDI I/F 10-4.

Each of the SDI I/F 10-1 to SDI I/F 10-4 includes an equalizer (EQ) 11,a serial/parallel converter (S/P) 12, a frame synchronizer (FS) 13, andan amplifier (AMP) 14.

The equalizer 11 shapes the waveform of an inputted HD/SD-SDI signal andsupplies the signal having undergone the waveform shaping to theserial/parallel converter 12. The serial/parallel converter 12 convertsthe HD/SD-SDI serial signal supplied from the equalizer 11 into aparallel signal and outputs it to the frame synchronizer 13. The framesynchronizer 13 supplies the inputted parallel video signal to theamplifier 14 in synchronization with a reference sync signal in the mainunit 110. The amplifier 14 amplifies the inputted video signal to anappropriate magnitude and supplies the amplified signal to an inputcross point section 20 as an input selector.

The optional card I/F 15 is an I/F into which an optional card isinserted. An optional card is a card that is not assembled at the timeof factory shipment but adds a function that is not implemented as astandard function. A variety of optional cards are available, such as acard with an analog video signal input terminal, a card with a DVI inputterminal, and a card with an HD/SD-SDI input terminal. In the main unit110 according to the present embodiment, any two of the cards describedabove at the maximum can be connected to the optional card I/F 15.Therefore, a plurality of video signal terminals are present on theoptional card I/F 15. FIG. 3 however collectively shows these terminalsin the form of an input video terminal 1 o to simplify the description.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the optional card I/F 15 receivesa video signal from the PC P1 connected to the terminal of an optionalcard inserted into the optional card I/F 15. Processing operationsaccording to the type of the assembled card are carried out in theoptional card I/F 15, which then outputs the processed video signal tothe input cross point section 20. The type of the inputted video signalis not limited to those described above, but cards with other types ofinput terminals may be assembled.

The input cross point section 20 selects only the video signal selectedby the user through an input video image selection operation performedon the operation input unit 120 among a plurality of video signalssupplied through the SDI I/F 10-1 to SDI I/F 10-4 and the optional cardI/F 15, and outputs the selected video signal. For example, when thefirst PGM selection button 217 p on the operation input unit 120 shownin FIG. 2 is pressed, the input cross point section 20 selects the videosignal inputted through the input port related to the logical number 1as the PGM output. That is, the input cross point section 20 relates theinputted video image to any of the NEXT output, the AUX output, the PinPoutput, the multi-view output, and any other suitable output and thenoutputs the video image.

When the video signal selected by the input cross point section 20 needsto be processed, for example, when an effect needs to be exerted on theselected video signal, the video signal is supplied to aswitcher/effecter 30 as a screen producer. The switcher/effecter 30, forexample, selects an input video image and exerts an effect on a videosignal.

The switcher/effecter 30 also produces a frame for displaying a PinPimage and frames used in the multi-view display format. When frames usedin the multi-view display format are produced, the frame for displayinga PGM output video image, the frame for displaying a NEXT output videoimage, and the frame for displaying a video image captured by any of thecameras under control are produced in such a way that the colors of theframes differ from one another. The process of producing the frames usedin the multi-view display format will be described later in detail.Processes performed in the switcher/effecter 30 are controlled based ona control signal produced in a control section 60, which will bedescribed later, based on an input video image selection operationperformed on the operation input unit 120.

The video signal processed in the switcher/effecter 30, for example, thevideo signal on which an effect has been exerted, and selected as thePGM output is supplied to a parallel/serial converter 51 p disposeddownstream of the switcher/effecter 30. The parallel/serial converter 51p converts the video signal into a serial video signal and outputs it toa buffer 52 p. The video signal inputted to the buffer 52 p is convertedinto a signal appropriate for an output operation and then outputted asthe PGM output.

The video signal processed in the switcher/effecter 30, for example, thevideo signal on which an effect has been exerted, is also supplied to anoutput cross point section 40 along with the frame information and otherinformation produced in the switcher/effecter 30. The output cross pointsection 40 also receives a video signal selected by the input crosspoint section 20 as a video signal on which no effect needs to beexerted.

The output cross point section 40 chooses either the AUX output terminal2 a or a DVI output terminal 2 d as an output section to which the videosignal supplied from the input cross point section 20 and the videosignal supplied from the switcher/effecter 30 are outputted. Choosingeither the AUX output terminal 2 a or the DVI output terminal 2 d as theoutput section is determined based on a control signal produced in thecontrol section 60 based on an input video image selection operationperformed on the operation input unit 120.

The video signal selected by the output cross point section 40 as thevideo signal to be outputted to the AUX output terminal 2 a is suppliedto a parallel/serial converter 51 a disposed downstream of the outputcross point section 40 and converted into a serial video signal. Theconverted serial video signal is supplied to a buffer 52 a, where thesignal is converted into a signal appropriate for an output operationand then outputted to the AUX output terminal 2 a as the AUX output.While the configuration in the present embodiment has only one AUXoutput terminal, a plurality of AUX output terminals may be provided.

The video signal selected as the video signal to be outputted to the DVIoutput terminal 2 d is supplied to an I/P (Interlace/Progressive)conversion/resizing processor 51 d, where the video signal is convertedinto an interlaced or progressive video signal and the screen size ischanged as necessary. The video signal having undergone the adjustmentoperations described above is outputted to a buffer 52 d, where thevideo signal is converted into a signal appropriate for an outputoperation and outputted to the DVI output terminal 2 d as the DVIoutput.

The control section 60 is formed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) andother components and produces control signals for controlling theportions in the apparatus and camera control commands for controllingthe cameras under control based on a variety of types of informationinputted through the operation input unit 120.

The control section 60 includes a positional information producer 61, acontrol signal producer 62, and a serial I/F 63. The control section 60is connected to a memory 70 formed of an EEPROM (Electrically ErasableProgrammable Read Only Memory) or any other suitable component.

The positional information producer 61 in the control section 60receives information on the operation angle inputted from the joy stick240 on the operation input unit 120 and information indicating on/off ofeach of the operation buttons that form the operation input unit 120.The positional information producer 61 produces information indicatingthe position of any of the cameras under control, that is, informationindicating the amounts of pan/tilt/zoom control, based on theinformation on the inputted operation angle of the joy stick 240, andsupplies the produced positional information to the control signalproducer 62 disposed downstream of the positional information producer61.

The control signal producer 62 produces a camera control command basedon the information on the operation angle inputted from the joy stick240 on the operation input unit 120 and the information on a tablestored in the memory 70. The control signal producer 62 also producescontrol signals for controlling the portions in the main unit 110 basedon the operation button on/off information inputted through theoperation button section 210 and the information contained the tablestored in the memory 70.

The “table stored in the memory 70” described above is a logicalnumber/input port number/camera-under-control number relationship tableT1. An exemplary configuration of the logical number/input portnumber/camera-under-control number relationship table T1 will bedescribed later with reference to FIG. 4. The preset information storagesection 71 is provided in the memory 70, and a preset information tableT2 is stored in the preset information storage section 71. The presetinformation table T2 will be described later in detail with reference toFIG. 5.

When the control signal producer 62 receives from the operation inputunit 120 a signal indicating that the preset button 213 or the recallbutton 215 is pressed, the control signal producer 62 produces a controlsignal that instructs registration or readout of preset information.When the preset number specified as the destination to which or thesource from which the preset information is written or read is any ofthe numbers ranging from 1 to n, the control signal producer 62 producesa camera control command. The produced camera control command is thentransmitted to any of the cameras C1 to C3. Selecting a camera to whichthe camera control command is transmitted is carried out by the controlsection 60 based on the information indicating on/off of the AUX outputselection/camera selection buttons 212 and the information contained inthe logical number/input port number/camera-under-control numberrelationship table T1.

On the other hand, when the preset number specified as the destinationto which or the source from which the preset information is written orread is any of the numbers ranging from n+1 to m, the control section 60supplies a control signal to the preset information storage section 71in the main unit 110.

That is, the control signal producer 62 refers to the logicalnumber/input port number/camera-under-control number relationship tableT1 to determine an object to be controlled, produces a control signaldirected to the thus determined object to be controlled based on anoperation inputted through the operation input unit 120, and suppliesthe control signal to the object to be controlled. Specifically, thecamera control command produced by the control signal producer 62 istransferred to the serial I/F 63 disposed downstream of the controlsignal producer 62 and converted into a serial signal by the serial I/F63. The camera control command converted into the serial signal isoutputted to a control signal output terminal 2 c via a serial driver 80and transferred to any of the cameras C1 to C3 under control via thecontrol signal output terminal 2 c.

An exemplary configuration of the logical number/input portnumber/camera-under-control number relationship table T1 will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 4. The logical number/input portnumber/camera-under-control number relationship table T1 shown in FIG. 4shows the relationship among the logical numbers, the numbers assignedto the input ports, and the numbers assigned to the cameras undercontrol. The numbers have been assigned to the input ports and thecameras under control in advance by menu-driven setting or any othersuitable method.

In the example shown in FIG. 4, the logical number 1 is related to theinput port number A and the camera-under-control number 1. The logicalnumber 2 is related to the input port number B and thecamera-under-control number 3. The logical number 3 is related to theinput port number C but is not related to any camera-under-controlnumber, because the input port number C is connected to a camera that isnot controllable by the main unit 110 (for example, the camera C4 inFIG. 1), a VTR, or any other non-camera apparatus.

As described above, since the logical numbers, the input port numbers,the camera numbers are related to each other in the one-to-onerelationship, pressing any of the buttons to which the logical numbersare assigned uniquely determines a camera or an apparatus to becontrolled.

An exemplary configuration of the preset information table T2 will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 5. The preset information table T2 is atable for managing preset information stored in the preset informationstorage section 71. The items contained in the table are “presetnumber,” “clear bit,” “camera model information,” and “presetinformation.”

The preset numbers in the preset information table T2, which are thenumbers for managing the (n+1)-th preset information to the m-th presetinformation stored in the preset information storage section 71, rangefrom n+1 to m. In the example shown in FIG. 5, it is assumed that n is16, that is, the number of pieces of preset information storable on thecamera side is 16. Since m is equal to 99 as described above, the presetnumbers range from 17 to 99 (=m).

The “clear bit” is a flag that determines which of the informationstored in the preset information table T2 or the default value is readwhen the user issues an instruction to read preset information. In theexample shown in FIG. 5, “1” represents the use of the default value,and “0” represents the use of preset information. When the preset button213 (see FIG. 2) on the operation input unit 120 is pressed, the valueof the flag becomes “0” under the control of the control section 60,whereas when the clear button 216 is pressed, the value of the flag ischanged to “1”.

The “camera model information” contains information on the model of thecamera connected at the time of preset information registration, thatis, the camera in which preset information has been registered. Thepositions corresponding to the preset numbers No. 17, No. 18, and No. 99store a model name “CAM-300,” and the position corresponding to thepreset number No. 19 store a model name “CAM-700.”

The “camera model information” is used to check whether or not thecamera connected at the time of preset information registration differsfrom the camera connected at the time of preset information readout.Since the type of camera control command to be used varies depending onthe model of the camera in question, a camera control commandinappropriate for the connected camera will be disadvantageously sent ifthe model of the camera connected at the time of preset informationregistration differs from the camera connected at the time of presetinformation readout. To prevent the situation described above, thecontrol section 60 checks the model by using the “camera modelinformation” before any preset information is read.

The “preset information” contains parameters that define the state of acamera. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the “preset information”includes “pan coordinate,” “tilt coordinate,” “zoom position,” “focusposition,” and “iris position.” For example, the position correspondingto the preset number No. 17 stores preset information formed of thefollowing parameters: “pan coordinate”=30, “tilt coordinate”=20, “zoomposition”=10, “focus position”=10, and “iris position”=20. In FIG. 5,the parameter in each of the items is expressed by a value, such as 10and 20. In practice, however, each of the parameters is expressed by abit string defined for each camera.

In FIG. 5, the number of items in the “preset information” is five tosimplify the description. In practice, however, the number of items isgreater, including an exposure setting and a white balance setting. Insome existing cameras, the number of items in preset information is 37,and in other existing cameras, the number is 67.

A plurality of preset information tables T2 formed of the itemsdescribed above is provided in accordance with the number of camerasunder control that can be connected to the main unit 110. That is, thepreset information table T2 is prepared for each of the logical numbersshown by way of example in FIG. 4. For example, when the number ofconnected cameras under control is 7 and m is 99, the number of piecesof preset information that can be stored in the preset informationstorage section 71 is 7×(99−n). The smallest one of the numbers n in allcameras under control is selected as the number n, which is subtractedfrom 99 (m). That is, when one of the cameras under control has a numbern of 6, and 6 is the smallest of the numbers n in all cameras undercontrol, the number of pieces of preset information that can be storedis 7×(99−6)=651.

[Exemplary Operation of Video Signal Processing Apparatus]

Exemplary processes of registering preset information carried out in themain unit 110 will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG.6. First, the control section 60 judges whether or not a presetinformation registering operation has been accepted (step S1). That is,it is judged whether or not the user has driven in advance any of thecameras under control to make a desired preset setting so that theposition of the camera and internal parameters thereof are establishedand then has issued an instruction to register the preset information.When no registering operation has been carried out, the judgment processin the step S1 is repeated. When a preset information registeringoperation has been accepted, it is then judged whether or not the presetnumber selected as the destination to which the preset information isregistered is any of the second half of the preset numbers ((n+1) orgreater) (step S2).

When the inputted preset number is any of the first half of the presetnumbers (n or smaller), a camera control command that instructs storageof the information on the current state of the camera in the presetinformation storage section M in the camera is transmitted to theconnected camera (step S3). The preset information is stored in thepreset information storage section M in the camera based on the cameracontrol command. Since camera control command transmission uses a serialtransmission path in the present example, the camera control command tobe transmitted to the camera is divided into portions, which are thentransmitted to the camera separately.

When the preset number selected by the user is any of the second half ofthe preset numbers, the control section 60 transmits to the connectedcamera an inquiry command for checking the model (step S4). When themain unit 110 receives the model information transmitted from the camera(step S5), the control section 60 writes the received model informationin the preset information storage section 71 (step S6).

The main unit 110 then transmits to the connected camera an inquirycommand for checking the state of the camera (step S7). When the mainunit 110 receives a response to the inquiry command (a variety ofparameters representing the state of the camera) (step S8), the receivedstate information is stored in the preset information storage section 71in the main unit 110 under the control of the control section 60 (stepS9). The inquiry command transmission process in the step S7 and thestate information reception process in the step S8 are also divided intoportions, which are then carried out separately, as in the modelchecking inquiry command transmission and reception processes.

Finally, the user is visually informed whether or not the presetinformation has been successfully stored in the preset informationstorage section 71 (step S10). The preset registration process is thuscompleted.

Exemplary processes of reading preset information carried out in themain unit 110 will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG.7. First, the control section 60 judges whether or not a presetinformation reading instruction has been accepted (step S11). When thereading instruction has been accepted, the control section 60 transmitsan inquiry command for checking the model to the connected camera (stepS12).

It is then judged whether or not the preset number selected as theposition in which the preset information that the user wants to read isstored is any of the second half of the preset numbers (step S13). Whenthe selected preset number is any of the first half of the presetnumbers, the main unit 110 transmits to the connected camera a cameracontrol command that instructs readout of the preset information fromthe preset information storage section M in the camera. At the sametime, a camera control command that instructs incorporation of thepreset information into the state of the camera is transmitted (stepS14).

When the selected preset number is any of the second half of the presetnumbers, it is judged whether the model of the currently connectedcamera coincides with the camera model registered in the presetinformation table T2 (step S15). When the model of the currentlyconnected camera does not coincide with the camera model described inthe preset information table T2, the user is notified of the mismatchbetween the camera models (step S16). In this case, no presetinformation reading process is carried out, but the entire procedure isterminated.

When the camera models coincide with each other, the preset informationis read from the preset information storage section 71 in the main unit110 under the control of the control section 60 (step S17). A variety ofdrive commands are then produced based on the read preset information(step S18). The thus produced variety of drive commands include a pandrive command, a tilt drive command, a zoom drive command, a focus drivecommand, and an iris drive command, which are produced based on thepreset information shown in FIG. 5.

The pan drive command and the tilt drive command are first transmitted(step S19), and then the zoom drive command is transmitted (step S20),followed by the transmission of the iris drive command (step S21). Afterthe drive commands described above are transmitted, other drive commandsare transmitted (step S22).

Carrying out the processes described above allows the camera statesregistered as preset information to be reproduced in the camera that hasreceived the variety of drive commands in the following order: thepanning, tilting, zooming, focusing, and iris setting.

[Advantages Provided in Embodiment]

According to the embodiment described above, since preset information isstored not only in the preset information storage section M in a camerabut also in the preset information storage section 71 in the videosignal processing apparatus 100, the capacity of storing presetinformation is increased.

Further, according to the embodiment described above, the presetinformation storage section 71 in the main unit 110 stores presetinformation the preset numbers of which range from n+1 to m. That is,for any number n, the preset information related to the preset numbersequal to or greater than n+1 is stored in the preset information storagesection 71 in the main unit 110, whereby the capacity of storing presetinformation can be increased with no modification on the camera side atall. In particular, when an obsolete camera the number n of which issmall is connected to the main unit 110, the number of pieces ofstorable preset information can be increased to m (99, for example). Theconvenience for the user is thus improved.

Even when a variety of models of camera the numbers n of which differfrom one another are connected, the number of pieces of presetinformation that can be stored in the preset information storage section71 in the main unit 110 is fixed to m. The user can therefore readilymanage the preset information. That is, even when different models ofcamera are present, the user does not have to be careful about thenumber of pieces of preset information that can be stored for each ofthe cameras.

Further, according to the embodiment described above, since presetinformation can also be stored in a camera as done before, the cameracan be connected to and used with another video signal processingapparatus 100 different from the one in which preset information on thecamera has been registered. Moreover, when preset information is storedin a camera, the process of reading the preset information andincorporating it into the state of the camera can be carried out in ashorter period, whereby an advantage provided in the existing in-camerastorage function is also provided.

Further, according to the embodiment described above, each piece ofpreset information is related to the corresponding preset number formanagement purposes. When the preset number is any of the first half ofthe preset numbers, the preset information is written or read to or froma camera under the control of the control section 60, whereas when thepreset number is any of the second half of the preset numbers, thepreset information is written or read to or from the video signalprocessing apparatus 100 under the control of the control section 60.That is, when the user selects a preset number in relation to which theuser wants to write or read preset information, the user does not haveto be careful about where the preset information will be or have beenstored, the camera or the video signal processing apparatus 100.

Moreover, according to the embodiment described above, before presetinformation is registered in the main unit 110, the operation buttonsection 210 and the joy stick 240 are used to set the position of acamera and internal parameters thereof at desired values. The main unit110 then issues to the camera an inquiry command inquiring the currentposition of the camera and the current internal parameters thereof, andthe information transmitted from the camera in response to the inquirycommand is stored as preset information in the main unit 110. In thisway, accurate parameter information (action parameters in the camera)for producing a desired state of the camera is registered as presetinformation in the main unit 110.

Further, according to the embodiment described above, a variety of drivecommands produced in the control signal producer 62 in the main unit 110are transmitted to a camera in the following order: the pan drivecommand, the tilt drive command, the zoom drive command, the focus drivecommand, and the iris drive command. On the camera side, the state ofthe camera is changed in the order of the received drive commands. Inthis way, the state of the camera is sequentially changed starting froma readily recognizable action, such as panning, tilting, and zooming.The user can therefore readily see how the preset information isincorporated (transition of one action of the camera to another).

2. Variations

The main unit 110 described above may have an edit function that allowthe user to edit the contents of the preset information table T2. Whenthe contents of the preset information table T2 can be edited, presetinformation can be moved, copied, and exchanged between cameras andpreset numbers. Further, when the preset information table T2 isdescribed in text and the syntax of texts is open to the public, theuser can manually rewrite registered contents.

While the embodiment described above has been described with referenceto the video signal processing apparatus 100 having the video switcherfunction and the camera control function, the invention may be appliedto, for example, an apparatus having only the camera control function(camera controller).

The present application contains subject matter related to thatdisclosed in Japanese Priority Patent Application JP 2008-283629 filedin the Japan Patent Office on Nov. 4, 2008, the entire contents of whichis hereby incorporated by reference.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that variousmodifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occurdepending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they arewithin the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

1. A camera control apparatus comprising: an input section to which aplurality of cameras the action of each of which is controlled by theapparatus are connected, each of the cameras including a first presetinformation storage section capable of storing up to n pieces of presetinformation on the state of the camera setting; a second presetinformation storage section capable of storing (n+1)-th presetinformation to m-th preset information (n<m) in each of the plurality ofcameras; an operation input unit to which an operation of selecting aspecific one of the plurality of cameras is inputted and an operation ofinstructing registration of the preset information on the selectedcamera or an operation of instructing readout of the preset informationon the selected camera is inputted; and a control section registeringthe preset information in the first or second preset information storagesection when the operation of instructing registration of the presetinformation is inputted through the operation input unit, whereasreading the preset information from the first or second presetinformation storage section and incorporating the read presetinformation into the state of the selected camera when the operation ofinstructing readout of the registered preset information is inputtedthrough the operation input unit.
 2. The camera control apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the number n, which is the number ofpieces of preset information that can be stored in the first presetinformation storage section, varies depending on the type of cameraconnected to the input section.
 3. The camera control apparatusaccording to claim 2, wherein preset numbers 1 to m are used to managethe m pieces of preset information, the operation input unit includes anoperation member capable of specifying the preset number, and thecontrol section chooses the first preset information storage section asthe destination in which or the source from which the preset informationis registered or read when the preset number specified through theoperation input unit is any of the preset numbers 1 to n, whereaschoosing the second preset information storage section as thedestination in which or the source from which the preset information isregistered or read when the preset number specified through theoperation input unit is any of the preset numbers n+1 to m.
 4. Thecamera control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when an operationof instructing readout of the registered preset information is inputtedthrough the operation input unit and the preset number specified throughthe operation input unit is any of the preset numbers n+1 to m, thecontrol section reads the preset information related to the specifiedpreset number from the second preset information storage section,produces a camera control signal based on the read preset information,and transmits the camera control signal to the selected camera.
 5. Thecamera control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the informationon the state of any of the cameras includes pan coordinate information,tilt coordinate information, zoom position information, and irisposition information obtained in the camera, the camera control signalproduced by the control section contains a pan drive command for drivingthe pan action, a tilt drive command for driving the tilt action, a zoomdrive command for driving the zoom action, and an iris drive command fordriving the iris, and the control section sequentially transmits thedrive commands produced as the camera control command to the camera inthe following order: the pan drive command, the tilt drive command, thezoom drive command, and the iris drive command.
 6. The camera controlapparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control section stores theinformation on the model of the cameras as the preset information, thecontrol section checks if the information on the model of the camerasstored as the preset information coincides with the information on themodel of the cameras connected to the input section before the presetinformation is read from the second preset information storage section,and when the two pieces of information on the model of the cameras do nocoincide with each other, the preset information is not read.
 7. Acamera control method comprising the steps of: connecting a plurality ofcameras the action of each of which is controlled by the apparatus, eachof the cameras including a first preset information storage sectioncapable of storing up to n pieces of preset information on the state ofthe camera setting; inputting an operation of selecting a specific oneof the plurality of cameras and inputting an operation of instructingregistration of the preset information on the selected camera or anoperation of instructing readout of the preset information on theselected camera; and registering the first preset information in thefirst information storage section or a second preset information storagesection that can store (n+1)-th preset information to m-th presetinformation (n<m) when the operation of instructing registration of thepreset information is inputted, whereas reading the preset informationfrom the first or second preset information storage section andincorporating the read preset information into the state of the selectedcamera when the operation of instructing readout of the registeredpreset information is inputted.